Unless you’ve been living under a rock or completely don’t care about the election you know that Colin Powell just endorsed Barack Obama for president. This announcement is a pretty big deal. Powell is a prominent republican who is admired by people on both sides of the aisle, and is likely to make some voters who were still questioning Obama’s credibility as a president, particularly as it pertains to the commander in chief role, a bit more comfortable with the idea of voting for him. I’m far from saying that its going to cause a tidal wave of Republicans to vote for him, but this endorsement could definitely sway some undecideds or independents.
Beyond the macro ramifications of this thing, the endorsement and some of the coverage struck me on a personal level. My decision in terms of this election has been made for a little while now. What struck me while watching CNN and eating my Frosted Mini-Wheats this morning was how impressive Colin Powell continues to be to me.
I was watching a clip of him answering questions after he made the announcement on Meet the Press and I was reminded how intelligent he is and how easily he seems to be able to communicate his thoughts in a very easy to understand way. Chris Rock makes fun of how the only compliment you ever hear people say about Colin Powell is that he’s so well spoken. Its not that that is the only good quality he has, but its a very accessible window into a much deeper person beyond his voice.
Watching him field questions, he was able to express himself in a very clear and concise manner, he was totally comfortable with it, and he didn’t seem to be doing any kind of “dancing” that public figures are so apt to do. He had thoughts in his head and he shared them in a very matter of fact way, and I just had this sense that the gears in his head work faster than most people’s.
In a strange sort of way, I feel bad for Powell because of his service in the State Department for Bush (though it is his fault for taking the job) and the part he played in making the case to go into Iraq to find WMD that wasn’t there. When Obama was asked about a possible role for Powell in an Obama administration, he said Powell would advise him, but whether it would be in a official or unofficial role would be something they would have to discuss.
I would actually be interested to see him as Secretary of State again, though I’m not sure that would be possible given his first stint at State and Obama’s bludgeoning of the Bush administration during the campaign. I’m a firm, true believer in speaking quietly, but carrying a huge stick. I absolutely believe that before any kind of military action can take place you need to exhaust any and all diplomatic avenues, even beyond what you think is going to make you crazy. I’m also realistic enough to know that military action can’t always be avoided and when the time comes, then you undertake that military action with the absolute best equipment and manpower you can. I truly believe that Powell has the measured intellect to determine when you’ve reached the point of diminishing returns when it comes to diplomatic efforts and military action is required.
If Obama does win the presidency, I hope that he’s smart enough to really seek out the advice of Powell and others across the aisle like Powell to help him when making complicated, tough decisions.
